CSR boosts Bluetooth call quality

CSR has unveiled a new generation of its Bluetooth chips aimed at extending the battery life of mobile phones, while also boosting the quality of calls made using Bluetooth headsets.

BlueCore 6 features enhanced wireless performance and is the most power-efficient Bluetooth radio available, according to CSR. At the same time, the new silicon has improved audio coding that halves the data transmitted, cutting power consumption when making Bluetooth voice calls.

"We've looked at improving the user experience for people with Bluetooth headsets. Voice quality is going to be our main differentiator," said John Halksworth, head of product management at CSR.

Devices with the new chips are expected in late 2008. The two BlueCore 6 chips – one for phones, one for headsets – add a proprietary codec called AuriStream that produces better sound quality and can re-send lost data. The latter allows it to use a lower data rate, which saves power.

"You don’t usually get lower power and better quality at the same time," Halksworth said. Because AuriStream is proprietary, the benefits are only seen if both phone and headset are based on BlueCore 6.

BlueCore 6 additionally saves power by shutting down if it detects no activity within the Bluetooth radio spectrum, which indicates there are no other devices around to connect with. Even when active, it saves power by only scanning for other devices when the handset's GSM chip powers up to check in with the cellular network. Together, these lead to power savings of up to 86 percent, according to CSR.

While these new chips offer improved Bluetooth performance, CSR is also planning to add new capabilities. The firm is working to integrate satellite GPS capability into future chips, but Halksworth would not commit to a date when this will happen.

However, CSR is also working to add Ultra-Wideband (UWB) as an optional high-speed channel for large data transfers, and ultra low power (ULP) Bluetooth to link with small battery-powered devices, which are expected next year.

"2008 looks like being a big year for Bluetooth," Halksworth said.